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« January 8, 2008 | Today | January 10, 2008 » January 9, 2008Tonight: URI vs. Dayton, Providence vs. RutgersURI's basketball team, ranked 22nd, is in Ohio to take on 17th-ranked University of Dayton tonight at 7. In their meeting last season, URI edged out Dayton 75-74. For up-to-date information, check out the projo.com sports Rams page at http://www.projo.com/uri/ Also, you can catch the game at Cox Cable, CSTV, radio station WSKO (99.7 FM), and radio station WHJJ (920 AM). Meanwhile, Providence College basketball is at the Dunk in Providence, taking on Rutgers. The game starts at 7:30 p.m. For up-to-date information, check out the projo Sports Friars page at http://www.projo.com/pc/ If you're not going to see it in person, you can catch the game on Cox TV and at radio station WEEI (103.7 FM). Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:05 PM | Comment Jewelry stolen from safe at Nortek CEO's homePROVIDENCE -- Jewelry was reported stolen today from a safe at the East Side home of wealthy industrialist Richard L. Bready. Bready is chairman and chief executive officer of Nortek, a manufacturing company that has its headquarters in Providence. Among its products are home security devices, including Keepsafer brand wireless security systems. The police were called to Bready’s home at 280 Irving Ave. at about 3 a.m., where they were met by Cheryl A. Bready, his wife. Mrs. Bready told the officers that “a large amount of jewelry was missing” from a second-floor safe, according to a police report. Maj. Stephen Campbell, commander of the police Investigative Division, declined to divulge an estimated value of the loss and said an inventory was still being done. Mrs. Bready told the police that when she opened the safe to put away an article of jewelry, she discovered all of the jewelry trays in the safe were empty. But there was no sign of forced entry into the safe or into the house, the police said. The last time she saw the jewelry in the safe was Christmas Day, when the trays were said to have been full. The Breadys went on vacation the next day, Dec. 26, and returned on Jan. 4, but Mrs. Bready said she did not have occasion to look inside the safe until shortly before 3 a.m. today. While the couple was away, there were family members and other individuals in the house, so the burglar alarm was not activated, according to the police. Asked how the investigation will proceed, under the circumstances, Campbell replied, “Detectives have been up there and we’re moving forward with the complainants.” Because there is no indication of forced entry, the crime is being classified as a larceny rather than a break-in. Mr. and Mrs. Bready are active in social and philanthropic circles; for example, they are leaders in Rhode Islanders Sponsoring Education, an organization that offers private school scholarships and mentoring for children of a parent who is or has been incarcerated. And Mr. Bready is chairman of the Roger Williams University board of trustees. The couple also invest in restaurants, one of which, 10 Prime Steak & Sushi, on Pine Street downtown, was robbed Sunday. Restaurant manager Kevin Kazarian reported that a ski-masked man wielding a knife stole about $8,000 and a bag of keys from the Ten Prime office safe, tied him up and escaped. -- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:56 PM | Comment Coast Guard tows flooded trawler to safetyA 56-foot commercial fishing trawler took on water and was in danger of running onto rocks near Point Judith before it was towed to safety by the Coast Guard this afternoon. No injuries were reported. The trawler Mistress started to take on water last night about three miles northeast of Block Island. Water pumps could not keep up, and by 6 this morning the crew called Coast Guard Station Point Judith to report a flooded engine room and an adrift vessel, the Coast Guard said. The Coast Guard broadcast a request for any vessels in the area to help the Mistress, according to a news release. The Mistress contacted sister ship Second Wind, a 67-foot stern trawler, which arrived and towed the Mistress. The vessels headed toward their home port of Point Judith. A 47-foot Coast Guard rescue boat from Coast Guard Station Point Judith also responded. By 11:30 a.m., as the two sister ships neared entrance to Point Judith's outer harbor, Petty Officer 2nd Class Tim Burns, the coxswain of the 47-foot Coast Guard rescue boat, said, the Second Wind's towlines parted: the Mistress was in danger of grounding against a harbor break wall. "We had about 30 seconds before they [Mistress] were on the rocks," Burns said in the statement. He said his crew reacted quickly and threw several heaving lines to take the Mistress in tow. "If we hadn't thrown those heaving lines over, they would have been in trouble," said Burns. It is this sort of towing scenario that Coast Guard crews regularly train for, according to the statement. Once the Mistress was towed into Point Judith Pond inner harbor, another Coast Guard crew from a 27-foot rescue boat boarded the flooded vessel with de-watering pumps and pumped out the engine room. The Mistress was moored by 2:30 p.m. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:25 PM | Comment Male disguised as woman robs Somerset bankSOMERSET, Mass. -- He robbed the bank as a she. A man disguised as an elderly woman, wearing face paint and an ensemble that included a knit hat covered with a multicolored kerchief and a tan knee-length trench coat with a belt, went into Citizen's Union Bank just after 1 p.m. today and walked out with an undisclosed amount of money, the police said in a news release. The man, who also wore glasses during the robbery at 921 Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Highway bank branch, handed the teller a note indicating he had a gun and would use it if he did not get what was in the cash drawer. Minutes later, the robber was out the door and may have gotten into a dark green Volkswagen convertible driven by a white female. The police said the female driver was described as being her in 20s, wearing sunglasses and having long brown hair in a ponytail. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:10 PM | Comment 3 Warren stores cited for selling cigarettes to 17-year-oldWARREN -- Three stores face potential $250 fines after selling cigarettes to a 17-year-old who was sent inside in a police investigation to see whether clerks asked for identification and turned the teen away. Five Warren stores did ask for an ID and then refuse to sell the cigarettes, but Super Mart, at 747 Main St., owned by Al Youssef; Valero DB Mart, at 625 Metacom Ave. owned by Mohammad Rashid; and Pop’s Filling Station/Salem Gas, owned by Nafez H. Salem, were cited for violations, the police said in a news release today. A Jan. 11 court date for violating law that someone must be 18 to buy cigarettes is set for District Court, Providence. According to the police, the teenager went into each store alone but was electronically monitored by a sergeant. The teen asked for a pack of Marlboros. “I expect additional surveys with cooperating juvenile witnesses to occur later in the year," Chief Thomas D. Gordan said in the statement. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:45 PM | Comment Bill seeks uniform penalty for students who abuse alcoholStudents who violate school policy by possessing or using alcohol or drugs -- on or off school property -- would be suspended from school sports teams, clubs, dances, proms, and other activities for one year, under a bill filed today in the General Assembly. Filed after a year of several deaths and arrests involving alcohol and teenagers, the proposed legislation would require all schools that participate in the Rhode Island Interscholastic Sports League to suspend violators for a calendar year. The suspension would not apply to activities mandated for all students, such as graduation-required community service. Students who are suspended in their senior year of high school would not be allowed to attend graduation ceremonies and related events, even if academically eligible to graduate. The bill does not stop a student who is academically eligible from graduating. Currently, discipline of students who violate a school's alcohol/drugs policy is imposed case by case under guidelines set by each district's School Committee. The bill says that besides the one-year suspension, any additional discipline would be imposed as it now is: case by case under the School Committee-set guidelines of each district. Rep. Jan Malik, D-Warren, whose district includes Warren and part of Barrington, is the bill's primary sponsor. Malik said that if the proposed suspension period of one calendar year becomes an issue, he would have "no problem" trying to find a compromise on the time period. He said his main focus is to establish a uniform policy.
After La Salle Academy in Providence suspended 31 students who police say attended a Bristol house party -- including La Salle varsity football players who missed the Thanksgiving Day game as a result -- Malik said he felt the academy did the right thing. He also wondered about a potential situation in which students from different schools attend a party but receive different -- perhaps widely different -- disciplinary action, and what message that may send. He said he hoped the bill would equalize the discipline. Malik said that if the bill becomes law, he wants school departments to send letters to families explaining the law. He also said he would like schools to conduct assemblies at the beginning of the academic year on the new law. "I think we send millions of dollars" to schools in communities, Malik said, so "something as important as this should be universal." The bill has been referred to the House Finance Committee. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:40 PM | Comment Bill filed to prohibit restoring tolls at Mt. Hope BridgeBRISTOL -- As the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority holds a series of public hearings on closing a $233 million deficit projected within 20 years, state Rep. Raymond E. Gallison Jr. has filed a bill that would prohibit the restoration of tolls at the Mount Hope Bridge. A consultant hired by the authority has proposed bringing tolls back to the bridge -- 10 years after they were eliminated -- as one way to help close the deficit. The suggested fee is $1. “At this time, when gas prices are increasing to record levels, Rhode Island’s motoring public can’t support any other increases in the cost of daily transportation,” Gallison, D-Bristol,Portsmouth, said in a statement. “The Turnpike and Bridge Authority needs to be doing its utmost to maintain the bridges while living within its means. Residents should not be facing another tax when they’ve already been paying what we were told was plenty to provide for proper maintenance of the bridges.” The two bridges face major maintenance and repair needs, whose costs are expected to far surpass toll revenues, the authority’s primary source of revenue. Minimum costs are projected at nearly $200 million for the Pell Bridge connecting Jamestown and Newport over the next six years and close to $15 million for the Mount Hope Bridge between Bristol and Portsmouth over the next four years. A report by PB Consult Inc. suggests the following ways to generate additional revenue: raising the basic cash toll to $3 from $2 for the Pell Bridge, and hiking a variety of other toll fees, to bring in an additional $119 million to $149 million; restoring a toll at the Mount Hope Bridge to generate an additional $91 million; eliminating token discounts to raise $17 million; and, increasing tolls during the summer to reap an extra $21 million. But Gallison says that bringing back tolls to the Mount Hope Bridge would cause traffic backups and safety hazards on the bridge. He and other lawmakers sent a letter to the authority opposing the move. Read Gallison's proposed legislation. -- Journal staff writer Richard Salit Those who signed it were Rep. Jan P. Malik, D-Warren, Barrington, Rep. Douglas W. Gablinske, D-Bristol, Warren, Sen. Walter S. Felag, D- Warren, Bristol, Tiverton, Sen. Charles J. Levesque, D-Portsmouth, Bristol, Sen. June N. Gibbs, R-Middletown, Newport, Little Compton, Tiverton, and Sen. David E. Bates, R-Barrington, Bristol. Gallison suggests that instead of reestablishing tolls at the Mount Hope Bridge that the authority raise the toll for out-of-state vehicles. He said that higher tolls would make Rhode Island less affordable and hurt workers in the East Bay, including those at Raytheon, in Portsmouth. Former Gov. Lincoln Almond asked the authority in 1998 to eliminate the 30-cent toll when it was determined that the costs of collecting it was on the verge of outweigh the amount of revenue it generated. The authority, which had been considering a consultant’s proposal to hike the toll to $1, voted instead to abolish it. The authority has held the first in a series of public hearings on ways to address its deficit. The location of the meeting slated for Bristol at 7 p.m. Monday has been changed to Mount Hope High School (from Town Hall) to accommodate a potentially larger audience. The other hearings, which all start at 7 p.m., are scheduled for tomorrow night at Portsmouth Town Hall, Jan. 15 at Middletown Town Hall, Jan. 22 at North Kingstown Free Library, and Jan. 23 at Rhode Island College, Dennis Roberts Hall Alumni Lounge, Providence. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:22 PM | Comment Carbon monoxide deaths spur safety effort by cityPROVIDENCE -- After three people were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning in a South Providence house, city officials tomorrow will deliver a safety message and information on where to get free detectors for smoke and carbon monoxide. The 10:30 a.m. news conference will be at the Providence Public Safety Complex, and Mayor David N. Cicilline, Fire Chief George S. Farrell and police representatives will deliver the message. The mayor will also announce a new effort to educate Providence families on carbon monoxide poisoning dangers. The bodies of the family were found in the 325 Blackstone St., house two days ago. Officials have said they think an improperly installed basement furnace for the heating system led to the deaths. Extra: Find out more about dangers of carbon monoxide and ways to prevent poisoning. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:09 PM | Comment Mass. OKs regulations for retail-based health clinicsBOSTON -- Massachusetts health officials have approved new regulations allowing the operation of retail-based medical clinics at pharmacies. The move came after Woonsocket-based CVS Caremark Corp. applied last year to open a retail clinic at one of its stores in Weymouth. The state’s existing regulations did not cover the operation of retail clinics. Officials say the new regulations also will help not-for-profit hospitals, community health centers and others expand basic health services. Critics say the "minute-clinics" could pose a conflict of interest, putting profits ahead of patients health. But supporters say they will expand access to health care and help ease conditions at crowded emergency rooms. There are hundreds of retail-based health clinics nationwide. -- The Associated Press Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:55 PM | Comment High court won't review smoke shop ruling on governorThe state Supreme Court will not reconsider its December decision that Governor Carcieri does not have to testify in the Narragansett Indian smoke-shop case. Defense lawyers had asked the court to reconsider its ruling, but the court announced this afternoon that it won't revisit the issue. Narragansett Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas and six other defendants were arrested four years ago when the state police raided a tribal smoke shop that was not collecting state taxes. They are charged with misdemeanor crimes, ranging from assault to disorderly conduct. The court in December found that the governor’s testimony was not relevant to defense arguments that the state police used undue force in executing the raid. The troopers were acting under the command of a search warrant issued by District Court, and not instructions given by the governor or the state police superintendent at the time, Col. Steven M. Pare, the court said. The trial is scheduled to start Jan. 16, but defense lawyers requested a delay today after the government added 16 police officers to its witness list. The case has already been delayed several times. Read the Journal's special report about the smoke-shop raid. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Jack Perry at 1:37 PM | Comment Valentine heart candy sends new messagesREVERE, Mass. -- Personal relationships can go through hot and cold spells just like the weather - a sometimes harsh reality illustrated by this year's new sayings on the New England Confectionery Co.'s traditional Valentine's Day heart candies. NECCO said today that its Sweethearts Conversation Hearts will include the weather-themed phrases "Melt My Heart," "In A Fog," "Chill Out," "Cloud Nine," "Heat Wave," "Sun Shine" and "Get My Drift." The sayings "highlight the excitement and unpredictability of the day-to-day change of weather and people's love lives," NECCO marketing manager Lory Zimbalatti said in a statement. This year's 10 new sayings also include nature-inspired phrases "Wild Life" and "Nature Lover," and the saying "Do Good." -- The Associated Press The Revere-based company has been making Sweethearts Conversation Hearts since 1866, and in the 1990s began introducing different themes. NECCO also makes Necco wafers and Clark bars, with manufacturing plants in Revere and Pewaukee, Wis. NECCO is being sold to a group of investors under a deal announced Dec. 28. Terms of the sale to a group led by American Capital Strategies Ltd. weren't disclosed. Posted by Jack Perry at 1:16 PM | Comment Defendants want smoke-shop case delayed -- againDefense lawyers in the Narragansett Indian smoke-shop case filed paperwork today to delay the start of the trial which has been delayed multiple times already. Lawyers are asking Judge Susan E. McGuirl for more time to prepare after the state added 16 police officers to its witness list. Jury selection had been scheduled to begin Jan. 16. McGuirl was scheduled to hear motions today in Providence Superior Court, but the case remains under the jurisdiction of the state’s Supreme Court, which is considering whether it will reconsider its December decision that Governor Carcieri does not have to take the stand. Read the Journal's special report about the smoke-shop raid. Narragansett Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas and six other defendants are charged with misdemeanor crimes, ranging from assault to disorderly conduct. They were arrested four years ago when the state police raided a tribal smoke shop that was not collecting state taxes. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:55 PM | Comment Sex offender pleads not guilty to new charges/ Photo
PROVIDENCE — A 37-year-old Cumberland man pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree sexual assault and one count of breaking and entering at his arraignment this morning in Superior Court. Gary P. LaMountain, of 5 Crestwood Court, was ordered held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston, where he has been since he was arrested on the charges on Aug. 12. Judge Joseph A. Keogh also issued LaMountain, who was represented by the Public Defender’s Office, a no-contact order with the victim, a 27-year-old Cumberland woman. According to the Cumberland police, LaMountain was arrested after he allegedly broke into an apartment on Middle Street in Cumberland and raped the woman four times in the early morning hours of Aug. 12. At the time of his arrest, LaMountain was on a 15-year suspended sentence for two counts of first-degree sexual assault, eight counts of forgery and counterfeiting, and one count of felony assault. LaMountain served three years of a five-year prison sentence imposed in 2004 before being released from the ACI in April 2007. On Sept. 27, LaMountain was sentenced to serve the remainder of his 2004 prison sentence , 20 years total, after he admitted that his arrest in August violated the conditions of his probation. Superior Court Judge Gilbert V. Indeglia ordered that LaMountain begin serving immediately the rest of his suspended sentence, less time served since his arrest. A Providence County grand jury indicted LaMountain on the five charges from August 2007 on Dec. 19. LaMountain will next appear in Superior Court on Apr. 9 for a pre-trial conference. -- Journal staff writer Philip Marcelo Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:51 PM | Comment Newport sailor accused of computer sex crimeNAUGATUCK, Conn. -- Naugatuck police have arrested a member of the U.S. Navy who is stationed in Newport and charged him with using the Internet to talk with someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl. Police say Justin Williams, 24, has been charged with criminal attempt at risk of injury to a minor, criminal attempt at second-degree sexual assault and use of a computer to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. Naugatuck police had help with the investigation from Perverted Justice, a volunteer organization that targets predators. Court documents did not list an attorney for Williams. According to a letter sent to local media by Lisa Rama, a public affairs officer with the Newport Naval Station, Williams has at the station as an E5 since March 2006. Rama said she would not be releasing a statement, adding that the Navy had been cooperating with the investigation, which remains a Civil matter. Williams, who lives in the Wakefield section of South Kingstown, was held on $100,000 bond and is due back in court Monday. -- With reports from the Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:51 PM | Comment MBTA preparing for possible Amtrak strikeBOSTON -- The MBTA is preparing for a potential Amtrak strike later this month that could create havoc for Boston commuters. The MBTA owns most of the commuter rail track that carries suburban riders. But Amtrak dispatches all service in and out of South Station, which handles 60 percent of the MBTA's commuter trains. Amtrak also operates the track between Boston and Providence. A strike would nearly shut down South Station, forcing thousands of commuters on to subways, buses or into their own personal vehicles. The legal right for Amtrak workers to strike begins on Jan. 30. An emergency presidential panel created to avert a strike made raise and compensation recommendations last week that the unions liked. But Amtrak would probably need help from Congress to pay for it. -- The Associated Press Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:40 PM | Comment Black Rep to host re-opening partyPROVIDENCE -- The Providence Black Repertory Company will host a re-opening celebration and fundraiser at its theater on Westminster Street Friday after it was closed for two weeks because part of the ceiling collapsed. The celebration, which starts at 5 p.m., will include impromptu theater, African drumming, poetry, and hip hop performances. The cost of admission is a suggested tax-deductible contribution of $15, which can be made at The Black Rep Box Office. The Black Rep says it lost more than $25,000 because of the two-week closing and insurance did not cover the entire cost of repairs. It's trying to raise money to make up for the loss. Posted by Jack Perry at 10:47 AM | Comment ME: No foul play in hanging death of illegal immigrantThe state Medical Examiners Office says today that the 27-year-old Providence man who was found dead several hours after immigration officials raided his apartment died from hanging. David De La Roca was found behind a locked door, hanging from a belt, after Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials arrested his roommate, Mynor Montufar, the father of the first baby born in 2008. Both men were illegal immigrants. The Medical Examiners Office confirms there was no evidence of foul play in De La Roca's death. Meanwhile, Montufar awaits deportation.
Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:40 AM | Comment Paolino: Personal touch helped Clinton win in N.H.When former Providence Mayor Joseph Paolino Jr. arrived in New Hampshire to campaign for Sen. Hillary Clinton, he hoped she could narrow the gap between Sen. Barack Obama to within the single digits. But he wasn’t expecting a positive spread. “Yesterday during the day,” he said from New Hampshire, “we were hoping that we were going to be in single digits behind Senator Obama. He had great momentum coming out of Iowa.” How does Paolino think Clinton did it? “She went out, and she just campaigned her heart out,” Paolino said. Politicians are typically surrounded by consultants, advisors, spokespeople, and “they just kind of make it into a robotic situation,” he said, “Nobody gets to see you.” But in New Hampshire, Clinton made herself available to voters, even tearing up at a café when talking about the grueling nature of political campaigns. Clinton took 39 percent of votes in the Democratic primary, while Obama had 36 percent. In New Hampshire, non-affiliated voters are free to vote in either party’s primary. “Sen. Obama had been the political freight train,” Paolino said, but New Hampshire slowed him down. It’s now time, he said, to regroup. The hopefuls are setting their sights on Michigan, South Carolina, Nevada, Florida... The Rhode Island primary is set for March 4, after Governor Carcieri vetoed a bill that would have moved it up to Super Tuesday – Feb. 5 . Many residents -- including Paolino -- complained that the veto rendered Rhode Island's primary nearly meaningless, as more than 30 states have earlier primary dates. “If we had not won last night,” Paolino said, “Our March primary could have been meaningless.” Paolino said Rhode Islanders consider Clinton a third senator: “She has been to Rhode Island many times. People admire her and like her.” But, he added, he’s not taking anything for granted. He's filing as a Rhode Island Delegate. “We’re going to have to work it.” -- projo.com staff writer Brandie Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:15 AM | Comment National education magazine gives R.I. mixed marksRhode Island has received mixed grades on the quality of its public education system, scoring poorly in two critical areas: student achievement and the state’s efforts to improve and evaluate teacher quality, according to a national education magazine. Education Week’s “Quality Counts 2008” report card gave Rhode Island Ds in those categories. The state fared better in its academic standards and testing system, earning a B+; the overall chance for success of students, B-; and the amount of money it spends on education, B. The state received a C- for its efforts to offer early-childhood education programs and prepare students for college and work. Rhode Island received a D in the teaching profession category. Education Week reviewed whether teachers are required to take subject exams to demonstrate their proficiency, and whether the state requires formal evaluations of teachers and ties the evaluations to student achievement. Rhode Island fell short in both areas. Overall, Rhode Island averaged a C, matching the national average, but lagging the other five New England states. Not surprisingly, Massachusetts ranked among the top scorers nationally, as it has in other measures of education quality such as SAT scores and on national reading and math tests. -- Journal staff writer Jennifer D. Jordan The magazine, which has graded states for 12 years, analyzed six areas for the 2008 report card. Education Week changed some of the categories in an effort to highlight two issues: how well states educate students from the preschool years all the way to college; and how well teachers are trained and evaluated, since teacher quality is one of the most critical factors in student success. Rhode Island received a D in the teaching profession category. Education Week reviewed whether teachers are required to take subject exams to demonstrate their proficiency, and whether the state requires formal evaluations of teachers and ties the evaluations to student achievement. Rhode Island fell short in both areas. In addition, the state fared poorly in student achievement. Education Week analyzed the results of reading and math tests administered by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, called the Nation’s Report Card. Rhode Island’s proficiency scores ranked low — although most areas showed improvement since the test was given in 2003 and 2005. Just 34 percent of fourth graders scored proficient on the math test in 2007, and 30.8 percent were proficient in reading. For eighth graders, 27.7 percent scored proficient in math and 27.2 were proficient in reading. The report card also found that Rhode Island teachers are the highest paid in the nation when compared with other similar professions. These include: accountants, architects, clergy, compliance officers, commuter programmers, counselors, editors and reporters, human resources specialists, insurance underwriters, occupational and physical therapists, registered nurses and technical writers. Nationally, teachers earn just 88 cents on the dollar, when stacked against comparable professions. In Rhode Island, teachers earn about $1.12, or 12 cents more on the dollar than other comparable professions. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:08 AM | Comment Portsmouth's West Main Road shut down for car fireThe Portsmouth police have shut down West Main Road (Route 114) in the area of Hedly Street because of a car fire. Traffic is being diverted until further notice onto Hedly Street to East Main Road (Route 138). No further details are available at this time. -- Meaghan Wims Posted by Jack Perry at 9:39 AM | Comment Conn. hears appeal of killer who ditched body in R.I.HARTFORD, Conn. -- The Connecticut Supreme Court has heard the appeal of a Berlin man convicted of killing a Hartford woman and ditching her body in Rhode Island. Edwin Snelgrove Jr. had written letters comparing himself to serial killer Ted Bundy. His criminal record includes killing a woman in New Jersey and nearly killing another. He was sentenced to life for the September 2001 murder of 23-year-old Carmen Rodriguez. At his sentencing, Snelgrove yelled that the judge and jury convicted him not on the evidence, but on his past. His public defender told the high court yesterday that there's no objective, physical evidence linking Snelgrove to the crime. Rodriguez, a 32-year-old mother of four, was last seen alive leaving a Hartford dance club with Snelgrove, according to the police. A carpenter picking up trash in the woods near Grassy Pond Road in Hopkinton found Rodriguez's decomposing remains stuffed in a plastic garbage bag on Jan. 6, 2002. Her teenage daughter had reported her missing almost four months earlier. -- The Associated Press with Journal archival reports Posted by Jack Perry at 9:34 AM | Comment Traffic Alert: Lanes blocked on 95 SouthboundTwo lanes are blocked on Route 95 near Exit 23. An accident just after 9 this morning is going to add to commute time. The two left southbound lanes are blocked at Exit 23/Route 146 North. See that area on the Transportation Management Center's traffic cameras. For updated conditions, see the TMC Web site. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:27 AM | Comment Teen driver in Lincoln fatal crash faces arraignmentA 17-year-old Lincoln High School student is set to be arraigned today on felony charges three months after a car crash in which his first cousin was killed. Andrew Bessette was driving with a friend on Oct. 15 down Wilbur Road between Jenckes Hill Road and Old Louisquissett Pike when the car he was driving went off the road, drove over a stone wall and crashed into a tree on Longmeadow Road. One of his passengers was his cousin and schoolmate, 15-year-old Marissa Lorea. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Another passenger was also seriously injured. Bessette appeared in District Court, Providence, in October and was released on personal recognizance. He faces a felony charge of driving to endanger, death resulting. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:18 AM | Comment Derderian parole hearing begins tonightWARWICK -- The parole board will hear from relatives of some of the 100 people killed by a nightclub fire as it considers whether to release one of the club's former owners from prison. Michael Derderian is serving a four-year sentence for the February 2003 fire at The Station in West Warwick. He's eligible for parole after serving 16 months. Some victims' families say they will urge the parole board to not release Derderian early. They continue to hold him responsible and say they're not convinced he has shown genuine remorse. The fire began when pyrotechnics from the band Great White ignited flammable soundproofing foam that the Derderians had installed. Daniel Biechele, the band tour manager who ignited the pyrotechnics, was granted parole and is due out in March. Parole board chairwoman Lisa Holley says she's received letters both supporting and opposing Derderian's parole bid. But some who supported Biechele's parole say they won't do the same for Derderian because they're not convinced he's shown genuine remorse. The meeting will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Warwick Police Department. It will start off closed to the public, as those family members who wish to testify in private to the board speak first. After they're done, the meeting will open to the public, with more testimony. Derderian will not be there. -- The Associated Press, with reports from Journal staff writer Paul Edward Parker
Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Another warm day: Record breaking? Maybe.We're not expected to break any records today, but we'll certainly come close -- within two degrees. Tonight's skies should clear up and the temperature should dip to the freezing point. Winds continue to gust as high as 40 mph. For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page reports on the New Hampshire presidential primary, won by Democrat Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Republican Sen. John McCain. |
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ProJo 9 to 5 News Blog
Oct 2005 - March 2006